Ditching-machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

v J. GREAMER.

I DITGHING MACHINE.

Patented July 8,1884.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(m; Model.)

J. CREAMER. DIT'GHING MACHINE.

Patented Ju ly 8,1884.

N. PETERS. Phnlmulbe mphcn Wuhinglm. :1. C

UNITED STATES JACOB CREAMEB, or MEGHANIGSBURG, OHIO. I

DlTCHlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 30l,686, dated July 8, 1884:.

Application filed April 8, 1864.

' remedy certain defects in under-drain ditchers, all as hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1. of the drawings is atop plan view Fig. 2, a side elevation; Fig. 3, a longitudi nal vertical section; Fig. 4, a rear elevation, showing the guide-pulleys for the capstanrope, their casing, their shafts or rods, and the uprights in which the rods have their bearings. Fig. 5 is a detail bottom view of the draft devices, showing the plates with their loops and wedge-key. Fig. dis a bottomview of the dragslide, to exhibit the position and arrangement of the plates which take th ground-friction. a

' In the drawings, A. represents the capstan; B, the capstan frame; O, the front runninggear, swiveled to turn laterally on a crossbar, D, which is journaled in bearings under the front projected rails, bb, of the capstanframc. The middle perforated cross-bar, D, thus turns Vertically, while the running-gear I 0 turns horizontally, on the king-bolt E.

' the anchors in place.

F F represent two pairs of anchors, the two' of a pair being arrangedtransversely opposite to each other, and pivoted to the outside of the rails 21 by a rod, G, so that they will slip yieldingly over the ground in one direction, but catch in the other. 1 are nuts which turn on end threads of the rods G-, so as to hold The anchors are pro vided with stirrups j and chains f, which connect withadjustable hooks beneath the rails 22. When the capstan-frameis given a forward motion, the anchors drag lightly over the surface of the ground; but when the capstan-frame is given a backward motion the anchors F are forced into the ground to the -de pth allowed by the chains, and. rigidly brace the frame against any farther movement in that direction. This holds the capstan- (No model.)

rope. This is done successively until the whole length of the ditch has been completed.

H represents the sweep on the capstanshaft, and the arms thereunder are shown at H, said devices being old, together with the chains h Jr on the sweep.

I are the rear wheels, which run upon short journals J, connected with the capstan-frame by the thimble-slreins K. The latter are made with flanges 7c, and bolted or otherwise fastened to the outside of the capstan-frame, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. Thus I dispense entirely with the usual axle, which is found to be an obstruction to the rope L,which connects the capstan with the draft devices of the mole-plow.

M represents a case, preferably made of metal, and m m two vertically-aligned pulleys arranged on horizontal rods m m, passing through both case and pulleys and sustained in uprights m m". These rods form fixed shafts, upon which the pulleys may be held in the case, and upon which they may turn and have lateral play Thus they form a guide for the rope L, prevent it from rising, and hold it down, so that the sweep horses can readily step over it. Its lateral movability makes it adaptitself automatically tothe deviation of the plow-beam from the longitudinal axial line of the capstan-frame, thus avoiding any unnecessary friction 011 the rope.

N represents the mole-plow, 0 its cutter, P the plow-beam, and Q, the drag-slide which moves on the surface of the ground. The cutter 0 is secured in its proper position in an open slot, p, at the end of the beam.

B- is a fast plate, slotted at a and doubled at the end to form a loop, 1'. Through this loop passes wedge-key, r", so that the cutter 0 may be 11' 1d at any part of its length,and also at any degree of obliquity to suit the desired position of the mole-plow. On the upper side of the beam may be placed a bolt, 1, in the parallel eye-plates 1 0", so as to take the strain caused by the earths resistance to the plow. The beam 1 is secured from lateral play on the slide Q, at the rear end, by means of the slide standards q while it is held at a greater or loss distance therefrom by the grade-screw S, which passes vertically through said beam, so as to give a regular grade to the ditch.

T represents a draft-piece connecting by a a cross-plate, t,with the strip-plates t t,which are doubled at the ends to form loops t t and to receive a wedge-key, i, so as to bring the strain upon the cutter. Thus it will be seen that the cutter is made to carry the beam, instead of being carried by it, as is now done in those machines known to the public. My im provement takes a great deal ofstrain from the cutter and lightens the pressure on the fore end of the slide Q, while it allows the leverage of this fore end to be utilized in making curves, and in thus preventing the vault of the ditch from being broken and spoiled. The drag-slide Q is provided on the front end of its bottom with cross-pieces (l q, to which is rigidly attached the metallic "sled-shoe V, curved upwardly toward its front end, while it is provided on theunder side of its rear end with a metallic friction-plate, Vi, flanged at the ends and sides. The front flange fits into a cross-slot, 1 while the others are an ranged on the same side of the plate, so as to lap the free end of the slide, as well as both sides thereof, thus to prevent lateral or longitudinal displacement.

WV represents a horse like that used in sawing wood. This is pivoted at the bottom to a rod, w,which is rigidly held in and across the capstan-frame. This serves merely to support the long arm of the sweep when the'horses are not attached to it.

Having thus described all that is necessary to a full understanding of my invention,what I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1.- The combinatio11,with the capstairframe B and shortjournals J, ofa skein, K, having on its inner end flanges 70, adapted to be fastened to the capstan-frame, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a ditcher, the combination of a cutter,O, slotted plow-beam 1?, fast plate R, having loop r, a fastening-wedge, r abolt, r",and the-eyeplates r r, substantially as shown and described.

3. The cross-plate t, two strip-plates, t,doubled at the ends to form loops t and wedgekey t, in combination with the plow-cutter and draft-piece, whereby the lower end of the beam may be used as a lever, for the purpose specified.

4. The combination of a cross-slotted dragslide, Q, having the cross-pieces Q2 (j, a sled shoe, V, and aplate, V, flanged at the end as well as at the sides, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination,with draft lineor rope L, of a case, M, two vertically-aligned pulleys, m on, the two fixed horizontal rods mm in the same vertical plane, and the uprights 111- W, said rods passing through both 'ease and pulleys, as shown and described,whereby the pulleys are allowed a lateral movement corresponding to the varying positions of the plowbeam with respect to the axial line of the capstan-frame, as set forth.

J A0013 CREAMER. Witnesses:

XV. O. PANGBORN, S. M. MAsoN. 

